THE  ROBERT  E.  COWAN  COLLECTION 

I'RBSKNTED    TO     1H1. 

UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 

I'.Y 

C    P.  HUNTINGTON 

JUNE.  1897. 

Hc<    ssion  No7#  /J'tf        Class  No* 


HAVE  I  SOLVED  IT? 


HAVE  I  SOLVED  IT? 


BY 


JAMES  B.   LEHIGH 


SAN  FRANCISCO,  CAL. 

DOMESTIC  PUBLISHING  COMPANY 

1891. 


COPYRIGHT,  1891,  BY 

DANIEI,  F.   LEHIGH 


Stanford's  land-loan  scheme,  impracticable  by 
Doming  under  the  head  of  class  legislation ; 
George's  single- tax  theory,  not  adapted  to  our 
commercial  education  ;  Bellamy's  ideal-life,  pos- 
sible only  when  the  exchange  system  is  abolished  ; 
mono-  and  bi-metallism,  having  no  practical  rule 
for  their  government,  still  leave,  in  the  opinion  of 
the  writer,  the  financial^  question  an  unsolved 
problem.  And  believing  it  to  be  a  duty  that  a 
citizen  owes  to  his  country  to  advance  any  theory 
or  plan  that  might  tend  towards  placing  the  cur- 
rency of  the  land  on  a  definite  basis,  thereby 
placing  finance  in  the  category  of  the  exact 
sciences,  I  respectfully  submit  the  contents  of  the 
following  pages  to  the  public  for  their  consider- 
ation. J.  B.  If. 


MODERN   CIVILIZATION. 


I 

The  merchant  prince,  with  cleverly  laid  traps  ; 
the  banker,  with  his  "  lariat ;  "  woman,  with  her 
1 '  dart ; ' '  men  walking  alongside  of  you  with 
short,  sharp  "  dirks,"  ready  to  plunge  if  you 
show  a  single  sign  of  weakness ;  ministers  with 
long,  solemn  faces ;  priests  with  upheld  crosses, 
crying,  "  Follow  us,  or  be  forever  damned;  "  Sal- 
vationists with  cheap  instruments  trying  to  scare 
the  devil,  not  from,  but  into  us ;  labor  cursing 
and  defiant ;  capital  intimidating,  grasping,  and 
merciless  ;  are  some  of  the  daily  greetings  with 
which  unfortunate  man  must  grapple.  Such,  O 
fellow  human!  is  our  reputed  civilization  in  the 
closing  years  of  the  nineteenth  century.  The 
poor  suffering  for  necessaries,  the  rich  thirsting 
for  more.  What  is  the  result?  Unhappiness. 
Cause?  Gold.  Remedy?  Sense. 


II 

Gold  is  our  watchword.  We  awake  in  the 
morning  with  the  hope  that  the  day  will  be  vic- 
torious for  us.  By  victorious  we  mean  that  we 
will  be  successful  in  ' '  strangling  "  some  other 
human  being.  How,  we  care  not.  Prefer,  of 
course,  to  do  it  in  as  smooth  a  manner  as  is 
consistent  with  what  are  known  as  the  laws 
of  the  land,  but  "  knife  him"  we  must. 
Different  systems  with  the  same  object  in  view 
-Gold. 

The  banker  kindly  suggests  to  the  struggling 
widow  to  improve  her  premises— to  depend  upon 
him  as  her  financial  friend ;  she  believes  him  ; 
accompanies  belief  with  mortgage  ;  season  passes  ; 
tightness  of  the  money  market  returns  ;  widow 
implores  for  extension  ;  banker  firm  for  princi- 
pal (?)  foreclosure  follows ;  some  States  thirty  or 


sixty  days  for  redemption  ;  transfer  completed. 
The  "  lariating  "  was  successful. 

The  merchant  prince  paces  the  floor  of  his 
establishment,  satisfied  only  in  the  knowledge 
that  his  well- worked  "  traps/'  "  below  cost," 
' '  genuine, "  "  guaranteed, "  ' '  imported, ' '  and 
"closing  out"  are  in  good  order,  and  anticipat- 
ing with  tigerish  glee  the  victim's  struggle  when 
once  within  his  clutch. 

Then  the  being  we  meet  on  the  street  dis- 
guised as  a  friend.  The  shake.  l '  Good  morn- 
ing, Mr.  Jones ;  sincerely  hope  your  family  are 
enjoying  the  very  best  of  health."  Aside — I 
wonder  if  he  is  going  to  "  touch"  me.  "  Thanks 
Mr.  Smith.  The  very  best ;  I  hope  you  can  re- 
port the  same. ' '  Between  his  teeth —  What  a 
tight  grip  the  old  miser  has.  Wish  I  could  hold 


my  hands  on  his  throat  long  enough  to  make  him 
give  up  some  of  his  ill-gotten  stuff. 

Poor  Brown  has  been  compelled  to  retire  to 
his  sick-bed  from  fever  caused  by  hard  luck  in 
one  of  his  "  duels"  with  his  fellow-man.  Mrs. 
Brown  : — "Oh  Doctor  Fifty  Dollars  !  is  there  any 
hope  ?  "  Brown  succumbs.  Mrs.  B. — "Oh  Rev. 
Mr.  Ten  Thousand,  can  I  get  you  to  say  a  few 
words  for  the  repose  of  Brown's  soul?"  Rev. 
Mr.  Ten  Thousand  looks  pious,  but  is  in  truth 
very  sad  and  uneasy,  for  he  has  doubts  whether 
Brown  has  left  enough  to  justify  him  in  going  to 
the  grave  in  such  inclement  weather. 


The  foregoing  lines  are  merely  intended  to 
convey  the  fact  that  all  our  thoughts,  our  acts, 
our  very  lives,  depend  upon  the  single  substance, 
Gold.  We  stake  our  all  upon  it.  It  is  the  lever 


which  moves  the  Universe  ;  and  if  in  unscrupu- 
lous hands,  is  certain  to  cause  not  only  great  dis- 
turbances, but  actual  distress  to  the  taxpayers  of 
the  Country.  And  who  are  these  taxpayers  ?  Is 
the  reader  one  of  them  ?  Let  us  see. 


OF  THE 


k  UNIVERSITY 


WHO   ARE  THE  TAX-PAYERS? 


I 

* '  Do  you  see  those  laboring-men  over  there 
riling  into  that  polling-booth  ?  Well,  just  think 
of  it!  not  a  d — d  one  of  them  pays  a  doHar  of 
tax,  and  yet  any  one  of  their  votes  counts  as 
much  as  mine,  after  I  have  paid  out  this  year 
alone  over  five  hundred  dollars  for  taxes.  My 
God  !  What  are  we  coming  to  ?  "  The  speaker 
was  and  still  is  the  keeper  of  a  prominent  clothing 
house,  and  his  remark  was  not  an  uncommon 
one,  as  it  is  probably  made  by  every  merchant  in 
the  country.  "My  friend,"  the  writer  replied, 
4 '  You  told  me  a  short  time  ago  that  you  aver- 
aged an  annual  net  profit  of  from  fifteen  to 
twenty  thousand  dollars  since  you  began  busi- 
ness. That  being  the  case,  pray  tell  me  what 
then  have  you  paid  ?  It  seems  to  me,  after 
studying  the  matter  over  very  carefully,  that  the 


'  kick'  should  come  from  the  parties  you  *  damn' 
as  to  the  injustice  of  your  vote  off-setting  the 
vote  of  one  who  has  perspired  for  a  life-time  in 
the  cause  of  labor,  and  who  has  nothing  to 
show  for  it  save  his  existence  and  your  pros- 
perity. It  seems  to  me  that  you  should  not  be 
too  outspoken  in  your  condemnation ;  for  some 
day  the  film  will  be  removed  from  their  eyes,  and 
they  will  awake  to  the  full  realization  of  not  only 
the  great  wrong  that  has  been  done  them  these 
many  years  by  you  shrewd  money-loaners  and 
traders,  but  the  crowning  injury  in  robbing  them 
of  their  honest  title  of  tax-payers. 

If  nature  suddenly  cut  off  the  veins  of  min- 
eral (and  we  know  this  has  occurred  in  many  a 
past  mining  camp)  the  miners,  accompanied  by 
their  families,  would  be  compelled  to  flee  to  some 
other  point.  And  supposing  the  isolation  of  the 


<camp  you  are  in,  would  not  warrant  you  merch- 
ants from  packing  out  your  goods,  what  neces- 
sary value  would  your  houses  and  your  goods 
represent  ?  What  would  you  money-loaners  and 
traders  do,  aught  else,  but  to  abandon  goods, 
houses  and  realty,  and  fly  with  the  miners  and 
their  accompaniment  army  of  co-workers,  locate 
wherever  they  locate,  and  once  again,  as  soon  as 
you  recover  your  breath  and  get  over  your  fright, 
hold  your  l  lariats '  in  readiness,  put  out  your 
*  traps, '  and  arrogate  to  yourselves  the  usurped 
•claim  that  you  alone  are  the  tax-payers.  Ac- 
cumulate as  much  as  you  can,  but  give  back  that 
stolen  crown  ! " 


II 

Does  Banker  Seligmaii  pay  a  single  dollar 
more  in  taxes  than  laborer  Smith  ?  Is  Merchant 
Efarwell,  who  is  accredited  with  the  payment  of 
taxes  to  the  amount  of  five  thousand  dollars,  as 
per  treasurer's  receipt,  entitled  to  any  more  actual 
credit  than  L/aborer  Smith?  Banker  Seligman 
and  Merchant  Farwell  only  pay  in  such  proportion 
as  their  labor  of  distribution  is  to  the  labor  of 
production  of  the  actual  necessities  for  their  sus- 
tenance. 

Banker  Seligman  admits  that  he  has  had  an 
average  annual  profit  of  one  hundred  thousand 
dollars  for  the  past  ten  years.  What  then,  has  he 
paid  ?  If  he  has  gained  by  accumulation,  is  he 
not  ahead?  Merchant  Farwell  began  business 
with  a  capital  of  one  hundred  thousand  dollars — 
that  is,  bought  one  hundred  thousand  dollara 


worth  of  goods.  At  the  end  of  the  fiscal  year 
he  shows  a  profit  of  twenty- five  thousand  dollars. 
Has  he  contributed  anything  to  the  canying  on  of 
the  government  ?  Let  us  examine  his  statement. 
Let  us  run  down  the  item  of  woolen  pants.  We 
trace  its  origin  to  the  bleating,  innocent  sheep. 
The  owner  by  a  shearing  process  removes  the 
wool,  and  for  a  consideration  sells  to  the  manu- 
facturer; the  manufacturer,  after  making  his 
profit,  sells  to  the  jobber;  the  jobber,  after 
making  his  profit,  transfers  to  the  merchant ;  the 
transportation  company  makes  a  profit  for  deliv- 
ery ;  the  merchant  adds  to  the  original  cost 
insurance,  clerical  charges,  taxes,  rent,  personal 
expenses  and  his  profit.  The  customer  buys  the 
pants.  Who  pays  the  tax  ?  At  the  end  of  the 
year  the  merchant  records  a  profit  of  twenty-five 
thousand  dollars.  What  has  he  paid  ?  Does  not 


the  treasury  tax  receipt  he  holds  represent  an 
aggregation  of  others'  payments  ?  We  think  so> 
and  subjoin  the  following  chapters  for  the 
thoughtful  consideration  of  all  laboring  people, 
no  matter  to  what  department  of  labor  they  are 
assigned. 


THE  BASE  OF  WEALTH 


I 

The  better  to  illustrate  our  ideas,  we  will 
suppose  the  United  States  to  represent  the  world, 
and  our  population  of  sixty-two  odd  millions  the 
world's  inhabitants.  Then,  taking  our  products 
as  based  upon  statistical  reports,  we  find  that  its 
aggregate  of  value  is  about  five  billions  of  dol- 
lars, as  can  be  readily  observed  from  the  annexed 
summary  : 

Grain  Crop,  estimated  valuation  $2,000,000,000 
Other  Crops,         "  "  1,000,000,000 

Cattle  "  "  1,000,000,000 

Loss  from  demonetization  of  silver     1,000,000,000 


II 

The  soil  adapted  for  wheat  is  not  available  for 
cotton,  but  both  are  indispensable ;  therefore,  a 
fair  exchange  between  the  grower  of  cotton  to 


supply  the  wheat  producer  on  the  one  hand,  and 
enough  wheat  to  sustain  the  cotton  grower  on 
the  other,  is  certainly  an  equitable  exchange,  as 
the  necessities  of  both  are  met.  These  products 
are  of  course  perishable,  and  we  are  in  conse- 
quence compelled  to  rely  upon  the  soil  to  yield 
up  annually  sufficient  necessities  for  our  sus- 
tenance. This  is  as  nature  placed  us,  and  from 
this  base  must  we  make  all  our  estimates  and 
calculations.  As  statistics  show  that  one-third 
of  our  population  are  engaged  in  the  production 
of  perishable  products,  both  vegetable  and 
animal,  we  find  that  the  actual  result  of  their 
labor  is  the  basis  of  our  wealth — not  theoretically \ 
but  practically. 


OUR  EXCHANGE  SYSTEM 


Civilization  has  arranged  a  system  of  ex- 
change houses,  known  as  mercantile  houses,  that 
were  original^  intended,  or  should  have  been, 
for  the  equi-distribution  of  the  products  of  the 
soil  in  exchange  for  the  products  of  the  mind 
and  muscle  ;  but  the  power  of  the  strength  of 
some  minds  over  the  average  mind  have  suc- 
ceeded in  thwarting  the  designs  of  nature,  and 
have  been  so  successful  that  the  actual  producers 
themselves,  nay  even  the  world,  fully  believe 
that  the  real  taxpayers  of  the  country  are  the 
keepers  of  these  exchange  houses.  That  they 
have  thoroughly  convinced  the  general  public 
that  it  is  not  the  perishable  products  of  the 
country  that  are  our  maintenance,  but  a  metallic 
or  non-perishable  substance,  known  as  the 
precious  metal,  that  is  the  basis  of  our  wealth. 

To  shatter  this  prevailing  idea  let  us  take  a 


kindergarten  view  as  to  the  actual  necessity  of 
the  perishable  and  non-perishable  products. 
Instead  of  having  a  system  of  exchange  houses 
let  us  begin  at  an  imaginary  base,  and  suppose 
that  each  of  our  sixty-two  odd  millions  of  in- 
habitants to  possess  life,  must  be  an  actual  pro- 
ducer of  products  necessary  for  his  sustenance, 
therefore  they  are  all  tillers  of  the  soil. 

We  have  previously  stated  that  one-third  of 
our  population  are  enabled  by  the  fertility  of  the 
soil  not  only  to  supply  themselves,  but  also  to 
supply  the  two-thirds  who  are  not  producers. 
This  certainly  shows  that  life  can  be  sustained  by 
each  and  all  of  us  being  actually  engaged  as 
tillers  of  the  soil. 

Now,  for  the  producers  of  the  non-perishable 
commodity  known  as  the  precious  metal,  that  has 
by  the  strength  of  some  minds  over  others, 


proven  conclusively  to  the  world  its  greater,  or  by 
some  called  its  intrinsic  value,  over  the  perish- 
able products.  If  the  tillers,  say  for  argument, 
just  raised  a  sufficient  amount  to  sustain  them- 

r 

selves,  they  having  decided  that  it  is  criminal  to 
raise  more  than  their  actual  requirements,  it 
would  be  very  evident  that  those  not  engaged  in 
the  production  of  necessaries  or  perishable  com- 
modities would  soon  find  that  the  gold  in  their 
vaults  would  be  entirely  useless  as  a  means  of 
sustenance ;  that  the  position  of  the  farmers 
would  be  reversed  and  that  the  ' '  very  bright 
youths"  engaged  in  making  cartoons  represent- 
ing farmers  as  legislators  would  soon  change  the 
customs  to  ones  representing  the  dilemma  of  the 
owners  of  exchange — houses  bidding  barrels  of 
gold  for  loaves  of  bread. 

We   have   simply   endeavored    to    show  the 


relations,  from  a  necessity  standpoint,  between 
the  commodities  produced  by  the  tillers  and  the 
commodity  found  by  the  owners  of  exchange 
houses  ;  and  to  show  which  of  the  two  classes  is 
essential  to  the  country,  the  one  being  a  necessity 
of  our  creation  ;  the  other,  as  far  as  sustenance 
is  concerned,  a  superfluity. 


CO-LABOR 


But  with  civilization  comes  desire,  the  neces- 
sity of  exchanging  the  products  of  one  farmer 
for  those  of  another,  and  Farmer  Brown  having 
raised  enough  of  the  necessaries  for  his  own  use 
and  exchange  purposes  with  other  farmers,  he 
finds  he  has  a  surplus  on  hand  that  will  waste  if 
he  does  not  utilize  it  in  some  manner.  Finding 
that  it  is  not  necessary  for  all  men  to  be  engaged 
in  the  tilling  of  the  soil,  and  that  additional 
comforts  can  be  had  by  a  system  of  co-labor,  he  is 
reasonable  enough  to  appreciate  the  fact  that  the 
mind  which  is  capable  of  converting  the  timber 
of  the  forest  into  homes,  clay  into  pottery,  ore 
into  metal,  etc.,  is  entitled  to  his  co-share  of  the 
necessaries  of  life — the  actual  base  by  nature. 

Advancing  civilization  demonstrates  that  mat- 
ters can  be  simplified  by  inaugurating  a  system 
of  exchange  houses,  where  the  products  of  one 


farmer's  soil  can  be  exchanged  for  those  of 
another;  that  the  products  of  both  can  be 
exchanged  for  the  currency  of  the  land,  and  that, 
in  turn,  for  the  products  of  the  mind  and  muscle. 
By  mind  and  muscle  we  mean  the  mind  which  is 
capable  of  giving  instruction  or  amusement,  and 
the  muscle  which  is  shaping  non-perishable  lux- 
uries into  something  which  will  be  of  benefit  to 
all. 

Therefore,  by  common  consent,  a  fair  exchange 
between  the  tiller  of  the  soil  and  the  producer  of 
increased  comfort  or  instruction  or  amusement  is 
certainly  equitable  and  just ;  thus  each  doing 
his  part  is  entitled  to  equal  benefit,  equal  honor, 
and  equal  justice.  The  tiller  of  the  soil — the 
base  of  operation — is,  therefore,  entitled  to  no 
greater  or  less  benefit  than  the  producer  of  his 
comfort,  as  they  are  co-workers  in  different  chan- 


nels  for  the  same    object — the    happiness    and 
comfort  of  each  other. 


THE  VALUE  OF  OUR  WEALTH 


I 

Having  determined  the  basis  of  our  wealth 
let  us  endeavor  to  ascertain  its  value ;  that  is,  the 
value  from  the  honest  monetary  basis.  We  find 
from  the  annexed  report  taken  from  the  most 
reliable  statistics — governmental  and  other  sources 
—the  following  perishable  commodities  pro- 
duced in  the  United  States,  together  with  their 
market  valuation : 

Corn - •  •  $    754>433.45i 

Oats 222,048,486 

Hay 408,499,565 

Wheat 334,773,678 

^Cotton. 300,000,000 

*Coal 300,000,000 

^Forestry 300,000,000 


Carried  forward. $2,619,755,180 


Brought  forward $2,619,755,180 

*  Vegetables  and  Fruits 100,000,000 

Barley 37,672,032 

Buckwheat 7,627,647 

Rye 16,721,869 

Potatoes 81,413,589 

Tobacco 43,666,665 

*Wool 26,000,000 

*Cattle 1,000,000,000 

*Miscellaneous] 67,143,018 


Total $4, 000,000,000 

Add   25  per  cent,    for  loss  from 

demonetization  of  silver 1,000,000,000 


Grand  Total $5,000,000,000 

*  Estimated. 

The  results  show,  of  the  above  statistics,  that 
the  market  valuation  of  the  perishable  com- 
modities produced_[inl[the  United  States  aggre- 


ates  about  five  billions  of  dollars,  or  a  per  capita 
valuation  of  about  eighty  dollars.  And  it  is  the 
result  of  this  yield  that  is  the  direct  main- 
tenance of  our  government  and  the  source  of 
all  its  wealth . 


II 

The  perishable  products  being  the  base  of  our 
wealth,  should  then  by  this  line  of  reasoning 
represent  our  basis  of  values,  and,  accordingly, 
our  circulating  medium  should  necessarily  be 
based  upon  the  value  of  our  perishable 
products. 

Financiers  say  that  supply  and  demand  regu- 
late prices.  Do  we  not  depend  upon  those  laws  ? 
Is  not  our  per  capita  of  eighty  dollars  based  upon 
the  market  prices  of  the  perishable  products? 

Financiers  cannot  dispute  the  stability  of  our 


crops,  for  it  makes  but  little  difference  whether 
they  go  back  to  the  first  years  of  the  century  or 
to  the  past  decade,  they  will  find  a  very  imma- 
terial variation.  Why,  then,  should  we  have  a 
circulating  medium  representing  only  twenty 
dollars  per  capita  instead  of  eighty  dollars  per 
capita,  the  actual  value  of  our  products  based 
upon  the  financiers'  own  laws  of  supply  and 
demand  ?  Surely  there  must  be  something  wrong 
with  our  financial  system,  particularly  where,  in 
the  midst  of  plenty  (as  far  as  harvests  go),  there 
is  so  much  suffering  and  unhappiness  among  the 
people. 


Ill 

Placing  no  value  whatsoever  upon  the 
products  of  the  mind  and  muscle,  statistics  prove 
that  the  value  of  products  to  the  amount  of 


eighty  dollars  per  capita  is  annually  consumed, 
and  consequently  destroyed,  by  each  person 
accredited  with  a  stomach. 

We  have  shown  that  one-third  of  the  popu- 
lation must  raise  an  average  product  valued  at 
two  hundred  and  forty  (240)  dollars,  market 
value,  of  necessaries,  to  sustain  the  entire  popu- 
lation. They  must  produce  a  bona  fide  two 
hundred  and  forty  (240)  dollars  worth  of  neces- 
saries, to  receive  eighty  (80)  dollars  worth  of  non- 
perishable  luxuries.  In  other  words,  the  two- 
thirds  engaged  in  mind  and  muscle  products 
must  receive  their  pro-rata  of  the  two  hundred 
and  forty  (240)  dollars  worth  of  necessaries  raised 
by  the  tiller,  while  the  latter  has  only  his  one- 
third  share,  or  eighty  dollars. 

The  average  farmer's  annual  balance  sheet 
would  read  as  follows  : 


Value  of  products $240 

His  own  requirements So 


Balance  for  distribution Si 60 

The  farmer,  to  support  his  co-laborers  engaged 
in  the  product  of  the  mind  or  muscle,  must 
patronize  them  to  the  extent  of  one  hundred  and 
sixty  (160)  dollars  per  annum  in  order  to  cause 
an  equal  distribution  of  the  two  hundred  and 
forty  (240)  dollars  between  the  soil,  mind,  and 
muscle  laborers.  If  he  does  not  exchange  his 
surplus  for  the  products  of  the  mind  and  muscle, 
he  abuses  his  trust,  and  in  consequence  compels 
his  co-laborer  to  join  him  in  tilling,  to  obtain 
the  necessaries  for  sustenance. 


mi 

Estimated    commercial    wealth    of    the 

United  States $80,000,000,000 

Estimated  assessable  wealth  of  the  United 

States 20,000,000,000 

Maximum  per  capita  of  circulation  if  all  our  money 
were  in  circulation,  twenty -four  dollars. 

Estimated  per  capita  of  circulation  by  hoarding  and 
Wall  street  " corners,"  six  dollars. 

Six  dollars  per  capita  makes  money  worth  from  twenty 
to  fifty  per  cent,  per  annum,  according  to  the  necessities 
of  a  co-laborer. 

Twenty-four  dollars  per  capita  averages  twelve  per 
cent,  per  annum. 

Eighty  dollars  per  capita  (the  value  of  our  necessary 
annual  product)  reduces  money  to  three  per  cent,  per 
annum,  and  increases  proportionately  the  value  of  the 
labor  of  the  soil,  mind,  and  muscle  tax-payers,  removes 
the  possibility  of  Wall  street  ' 'corners,''  thereby  giving 
to  a  humble  co-laborer,  who  is  not  skilled  in  the  art  of 
barter  or  exchange,  a  reasonable  right  to  enjoy  the 
glories  and  wonders  of  creation. 


GOLD 

SPEEDY  RELIEF 

OUR  PER  CAPITA 


I 

The  basis  of  our  wealth  being,  therefore, 
established,  and  the  real  tax-payers  of  the  country 
being  determined,  the  question  naturally  arises 
as  to  whether  there  is  not  something  wrong  in  a 
system  where  the  precious  metal  is  the  sole  desid- 
eratum of  life,  and  where  the  tiller,  the  workman, 
the  instructor,  and  the  other  co-workers  are 
weighed  only  by  the  single  standard  of  the 
amount  of  the  metal  they  have  in  hand. 

They — the  larger  holders  of  the  precious 
tnetal — tell  us  with  a  knowing  wink  that  unless 
we  do  so  and  so,  an  awful  financial  calamity  will 
befall  us  ;  that  there  is  great  danger  that  bankers 
Brown,  Hirsch  and  others,  regarded  as  great 
financiers,  may  withdraw  their  gold  from  the 
market,  and  put  it  into  a  vault,  securely  lock 
it  up,  and  ask  us  what  shall  we  do  then  ?  News- 


papers  controlled  by  these  shrewd  financiers  warn 
us  to  be  careful  not  to  antagonize  these  great 
men.  Their  agents  commingle  with  the  mob, 
shake  their  heads  with  dire  misgivings,  and 
kindly  inform  us  who  are  already  at  the  edge  of 
the  financial  abyss,  that  they,  the  agents,  are 
dubious  as  to  whether  anything  can  now  prevent 
the  expected  collapse  of  the  world,  but  believe 
that  we  might  live  a  little  while  longer  if  we 
demonetize  one-half  of  our  metallic  currency. 
"  Grant  it,  quick, "  cry  the  mob  with  simultan- 
eous unanimity. 

The  financiers,  as  a  rule,  make  few  mistakes 
in  their  judgment  of  men.  Too  shrewd  are  they 
not  to  know  the  power  of  the  Chief  Executive, 
and  they  are  as  exacting  of  him  as  they  are  of 
the  mob.  In  critical  times,  when  their  financial 
thrones  are  jeopardized,  they  expect  him  to 


address  the  politely  called  ( '  constituency, "  and 
warn  the  long-eared,  open-mouthed  gentry  not  to 
tamper  with  this  important  subject;  although 
this  same  Executive  may  once  have  been  a 
policeman,  but  fate — cruel  I  do  not  hesitate  to 
add— placed  him  in  a  position  to  throttle  us. 

If  we  act  as  cowardly  in  the  future  as  we 
have  in  the  past,  we  shall  submit  to  their  extra 
exorbitant  demand,  and  allow  them  to  tighten 
our  already  painful  fetters.  Iff  on  the  other 
hand,  we  tell  these  shrewd  financiers  that  they 
can  take  their  gold  and  with  it  jump  into  the  sea 
— that  neither  it  nor  they  will  be  missed — we 
shall  have  decided  a  very  knotty  problem,  and 
have  gained  our  first  point  toward  the  true  civili- 
zation of  our  world.  We  shall  begin  a  system  of 
existence  that  will  be  Utopian  in  the  extreme  ; 
that  will  give  to  those  now  living  a  certificate 


entitling  them  to  breathe  of  the  pure  air ;  to. 
exist,  not  by  the  sufferance  of  any  human  being  v 
but  by  the  right  of  one's  creation.  We  shall 
then  not  be  compelled  to  live,  as  at  present,  at 
war  with  one  another — engaged  in  a  duel  to  the 
death  for  existence  ;  our  children's  manhood  and 
womanhood  will  not  depend  entirely  upon  the 
amount  of  non-perishable  product  they  possess,, 
but  upon  their  right  to  share  and  share  alike. 
in  the  products  of  the  soil,  which  is  theirs, 
co-equal  with  all  by  Nature's  desire,  but  thwarted 
only  by  the  greed  of  avaricious  mankind. 


II 

You  then  must  be  anarchically  inclined  ?  Not 
at  all— directly  the  opposite ;  for  we  would  not 
destroy,  if  power  was  given  us,  the  existing  state 
of  affairs  save  only  that  which  is  anarchical,  the? 


power  of  a  few  to  create  at  their  pleasure 
the  oft-repeating  panics,  better  called  the  weak- 
ening of  the  weak,  the  strengthening  of  the 
strong. 

How  would  you  go  about  it?  We  would 
take  at  present,  or  until  such  time  as  our 
precious  metals  reach  a  parity  with  our  products, 
the  judgment  of  the  founders  of  our  government, 
and  live  religiously  up  to  the  provisions  of  the 
•Constitution  which  treats  of  the  liberty  of  the 
people.  We  would  prefer  the  judgment  of  men 
who  had  no  other  thought  than  the  welfare  of 
the  whole;  their  system  of  finance,  being  based 
upon  a  commodity  of  exchange  that  had  been  in 
existence  through  all  known  ages.  The  honesty 
of  their  intent  and  purpose  no  one  can  question. 
They  had  no  Wall  or  Downing  street  to  cater  to, 
and  did  not  seem  from  their  acts  to  believe  that 


the  sole  object  of  life  was  to  corral  the  metallic 
substance. 

WE  WOULD  DEMAND  AS  THE  FIRST  AND 
MOST  SPEEDY  STEP  FOR  OUR  RELIEF,  AND  THE 
PREVENTION  OF  ANARCHY,  THE  IMMEDIATE 
RESTORATION  TO  ITS  CONSTITUTIONAL  RIGHT, 
THE  FREE  AND  UNLIMITED  COINAGE  OF  SILVER 
BULLION.  THE  GRANDEST  RESULT  FROM  SUCH 
RESTORATION  BEING  THE  REDUCTION  BY  NEARLY 
FIFTY  PER  CENT.  FROM  THE  HANDS  OF  A  FEW 
THE  POWER  TO  ENSLAVE  THE  MANY. 

We  would  follow  the  restoration  of  silver 
with  a  manifesto  from  the  tax-payers  to  the 
keepers  of  exchange  houses,  that  to  act  any 
longer  in  the  capacity  of  custodians  of  the 
products  of  the  soil,  mind  and  muscle,  they 
must  never  again  be  caught  in  an  attempt  to  en- 
slave mankind  by  taking  advantage  of  our  trust- 


fulness  in  causing  a  false  measurement  of  values 
to  prevail. 

The  above-mentioned  manifesto  should  also 
contain  a  few  suggestions  as  to  the  duties  of 
these  custodians  who,  by  wit  or  otherwise,  have 
succeeded  in  amassing  huge  boulders  of  the 
metallic  substance.  Accumulation  cannot  be  pre- 
vented, and  millionaires  are  a  natural  result  of  a 
barter  system.  They  can,  however,  be  a  neces- 
sity to  the  country  and  tax-payers  de  facto,  in  the 
same  proportion  as  their  labor  of  distribution  is 
to  the  labor  of  production,  by  simply  spending 
their  surplus  in  any  manner  they  deem  best  for 
their  own  comfort  and  amusement.  The  only 
possible  way  they  can  become  a  detriment  to  the 
community  is  by  hoarding  what  is  known  as  the 
currency  of  the  land,  thereby  keeping  the  same 
from  circulating,  and  practically  destroying  the 


amount  of  their  hoarding  from  the  issued  per 
capita  to  the  circulating  per  capita,  occasioned 
by  their  act. 

Though  they  may  be  the  nominal  possessors 
of  property  valued  at  millions,  and  enjoy  fab- 
ulous incomes,  no  one  could  begrudge  them  their 
enjoyment  and  pleasure  if  they  but  do  their 
simple  duty  by  distribution.  Hoarding  only 
should  be  regarded  as  the  cardinal  crime,  and 
known  misers  should  by  some  legal  process  be 
gently  relieved  of  their  burden. 


Ill 

If,  then,  you  place  such  a  high  valuation  on 
the  products  of  the  soil,  and  so  little  on  gold,  how 
do  you  account  for  gold  being  worth  so  much 
more  than  the  products  ?  Again  :  if  the  farmers 
get  their  price  for  their  products,  which  is  your 


per  capita,  what  objection  can  they  possibly 
have  ?  lastly  :  if  the  necessaries  of  life  possess 
such  a  valuation  as  you  state,  why  do  the  farmers 
exchange  so  much  for  so  little  in  return;  or,  put- 
ting it  in  your  language,  why  are  they  eager  to 
exchange  so  much  of  the  perishable  products  for 
so  little  of  the  non-perishable  gold  ?  We  answer 
on  the  grounds  of  what  the  world  terms  shrewd 
financiering,  or  what  the  sporting  fraternity 
denominates,  "  flim-flamming. "  If  all  our  crops 
were  harvested  at  the  same  time,  and  delivered  on 
a  certain  date,  we  should  unquestionably  be  com- 
pelled to  pay  the  value  of  the  crops  in  full,  which, 
saying  aggregates ^ive  billions  of  dollars,  we  cer- 
tainly would  require  that  amount  in  currency  to 
pay  for  it.  Now,  if  financiers  can  by  a  system  of 
* '  flim-flamming, ' '  make  one  dollar  take  the  place 
of  four  dollars,  they  satisfy  the  producer  optically,. 


but  not  practically.  If  these  payments  were  to 
be  made  once  a  year,  the  buyers  would  have  to 
come  prepared  with  the  eighty  dollars  per  capita, 
and  the  tillers  of  the  soil  would  be  our  disbursing 
agents,  instead  of,  as  now,  the  keepers  of  exchange 
houses.  These  payments  being  made  annually, 
we  would  be  compelled  to  have  our  currency 
intact  every  pay-day,  and  the  loss  of  a  single 
dollar,  or  its  equivalent,  would  naturally  be  sub- 
tracted from  the  pro  rata  of  actual  distribution. 
Now,  if  financiers  can  lessen  the  medium  of 
exchange  by  some  hocus-pocus  of  legislation, 
thereby  lessening  the  per  capita  amount  of  the 
circulating  medium  to  the  per  capita  amount  of 
production,  they  increase  the  demand  value  of 
the  per  capita  of  currency  in  the  same  propor- 
tion as  the  per  capita  of  production  decreases  in 
demand  value. 


The  effect  of  such  tricky  legislation  is  prin- 
cipally felt  by  the  "mind  and  muscle"  pro- 
ducers, and  would  have  the  same  effect  upon 
them  if  the  tillers  of  the  soil  should  decide  to 
hoard  instead  of  distribute. 

Property  having  no  natural  value,  simply  an 
artificial  one,  would  place  these  co-workers  in  a 
peculiar  dilemma ;  they  could  not  realize  on 
their  artificial  property,  owing  to  the  scarcity  of 
exchange  certificates ;  and  the  necessities  of  life 
are  denied  them  because  some  of  their  co- 
workers  have  proved  recreant  to  their  trust  by 
hoarding  instead  of  distributing,  thereby  causing 
a  panic  among  the  toilers. 

The  co-workers  are  again  at  sea  financially. 
Humanity  becomes  enraged  and  consequently 
unhappy,  and  is  once  more  compelled  to  resort 
to  criminality  in  deed  and  feeling  to  obtain  the 


necessaries.  Our  world  becomes  chaotic,  as 
described  in  the  opening  chapter.  Pandemonium 
again  seizes  us  ;  merchants  put  out  their 
*  traps''  ;  bankers  hold  their  "  lariats"  in  readi- 
ness woman,  her  "dart";  man,  his  "dirk." 
Darkness  reigns.  Ministers  re-appear  with 
solemn  faces  ;  priests  resume  their  cries ;  Sal- 
vationists again  confront  us,  and  we  are  no 
longer  worthy  to  leave  the  legacy  of  life  to  our 
successors. 


PRACTICAL  POLITICS 


V 


I 

In  the  foregoing  chapters  we  have  endeavored 
to  prove  that  every  laborer  is  a  tax-payer,  and  as 
such  must  know  that  his  sovereignly  stands  or 
falls  by  his  own  activity  or  apathy.  Therefore, 
we  would  respectfully  submit  to  the  public  some 
similar  scheme  to  the  following  as  a  basis  for 
every  citizen  of  the  land  taking  an  interest  in 
his  own  and  his  country's  welfare. 


II 

The  defeat  of  the  federal  election  measure  : 
the  impracticability  of  Civil  Service  reform,  cer- 
tainly its  un- Americanism ;  the  recognized  evils 
resulting  from  the  spoils  system — all  combine  to 
call  for  suggestions  in  the  direction  of  the  im- 
provement of  our  election  methods.  An  improve- 
ment that  will  recognize  the  main  provisions  of 


the  federal  election  measure  in  its  demand  for  the 
rule  of  the  majority  de  facto,  and  in  consequence 
result  in  a  full,  free  vote  ;  one  that  also  will  aid 
in  enforcing  civil  service  reform  ideas  by  obtain- 
ing the  best  possible  service,  and,  lastly,  will 
reward  politicians  who  may  advance  ideas  that 
will  contain  sufficient  merit  to  satisfy  the  majority 
of  voters. 

While  of  course  it  is  the  popular  thing  to 
place  the  blame  of  the  existing  evils  on  the 
politicians  and  those  favoring  the  spoils  system, 
let  us  see  whether  the  charge  is  altogether  cor- 
rect, and  whether  the  great  evil  which  assumes 
the  proportions  of  nothing  more  nor  less  than 
criminal  neglect,  does  not  lie  almost  entirely 
with  what  are  known  as  the  "better  classes." 
Nearly  all  will  admit  that  the  principles  out- 
lined by  the  founders  of  the  republic,  if  strictly 


adhered  to  by  all  citizens,  would  have  given  us 
an  almost  perfect  form  of  government ;  therefore, 
if  those  principles  could  be  enforced,  that  is,  by  a 
plan  compelling  citizens  to  do  their  simple  duty, 
it  would  be  a  great  boon  to  our  country,  and  an 
advance  step  in  our  democratic  system  of  gov- 
ernment. For  the  faithful  consideration  of  the 
student  of  political  economy  and  to  the  patriotic 
American  tax-payer,  we  submit  the  following  as 
a  possible  remedy  for  the  existing  situation  : — 

FIRST — In  local  and  State  elections  adopt 
the  plan  of  a  regular  election- day ,  on  which  day 
all  offices  shall  be  filled  ;  as,  for  instance,  the 
first  Tuesday  following  the  first  Monday  in  No- 
vember, thus  respecting  the  constitutional  elec- 
tion day.  On  that  day  let  all  Municipal,  County, 
District,  and  State  offices  be  filled. 

SECOND— Adopt  a  system  of  a  regular  "  pri- 


mary ' '  day,  say  about  one  month  prior  to  the 
election  day,  which  would  be  practicable  in  all 
but  presidential  elections.  An  additional  election 
day  every  fourth  year  would  not  be  a  very  great 
burden. 

THIRD — Make  both  the  primary  and  election 
days  legal  holidays. 

FOURTH — Make  voting  at  both  the  primaries 
and  elections  compulsory. 

FIFTH — Let  the  State  prescribe  such  laws  as 
will  enforce  voting,  by  heavy  fines  or  imprison- 
ment, with,  of  course,  the  usual  allowances  for 
sickness  or  other  justifiable  causes. 

SIXTH — Adopt  the  registration  system — every  - 
citizen  in  every  county  being  compelled  to  reg- 
ister as  the  main  requirement  for  his  citizenship. 
SKVKNTH — L,et  aliens  doing  business  in  this 
country,  who  have  resided  here  long  enough  to 


acquire  citizenship,  have  imposed  upon  them  a 
heavy  personal  tax,  regulated  by  their  income. 

EIGHTH — Consider  non-registered  persons  as 
aliens,  and  treat  them  accordingly. 

NINTH — Let  representation  in  Congress  be 
based  upon  the  actual  voting  population  as  per 
registration. 

TKNTH — Adopt  the  secret  ballot  system,  rec- 
ognizing the  legality  of  a  blank  ballot. 

ELEVENTH — Permit  any  citizen  to  attend  any 
party  primary,  and  to  cast  his  ballot  in  blank,  or 
in  any  other  manner  he  may  see  fit. 

The  main  object  of  these  suggestions  is  to 
compel  citizens  to  do  their  duty  towards  the 
republic.  If  patriotism  is  so  laggard  in  their 
systems  that  harsh  methods  must  be  resorted  to  in 
order  to  compel  them  to  awake  to  the  evils  of  the 
•existing  situation,  then  let  us  adopt  such  meas- 


ures.  L,et  us  look  at  the  situation.  A  solid  vote 
of  the  citizens  means  a  majority  rule,  which  is 
the  basis  of  our  government.  A  solid  vote  of  the 
citizens  at  their  respective  primaries  means  the 
choosing  of  delegates  that  are  selected  by  a 
majority  of  the  citizens.  The  result  of  such  com- 
pulsory laws  can  be  easily  foretold.  Reputable 
men  going  en  masse  to  their  respective  political 
primaries  would  easily  outnumber  the  other 
element,  and  thereby  completely  squelch  at  one 
fell  blow  the  obnoxious  element  that  has  so  long 
controlled  the  key  to  the  political  situation. 

Under  the  present  system,  having  the  choice 
of  attending  the  primaries  or  of  staying  at  home, 
reputable  men  are  loth  to  come  into  contact  with 
what  is  known  as  the  rough  element ;  and  the 
latter  class,  knowing  the  weakness  of  reputable 
men  in  wishing  to  avoid  unpleasant  associations> 


are  encouraged  to  adopt  terrorizing  and  under- 
handed methods.  If,  however,  it  were  compul- 
sory for  all  citizens  to  vote  on  the  primary  and 
election  days,  the  better,  which  at  all  times  out- 
numbers the  rough  element,  would  have  no 
difficulty  in  naming  the  local,  state,  and  general 
government  officers. 

Appealing  to  their  patriotism  is  in  vain ;  for 
what  is  everyone's  business  is  no  one's,  and 
therefore,  there  is  no  other  resource,  or  way  to 
obtain  a  government  of  the  majority  than  by  the 
simple  process  of  compelling  that  majority  to  do 
its  duty.  Fines,  heavy  fines,  and,  for  second  and 
third  offences,  imprisonment,  would  soon  cause  a 
marked  degree  of  patriotism  to  arise  in  the  bosom 
of  every  citizen. 


Ill 

The  value  of  our  perishable  products  repre- 
sents our  actual  wealth.  This,  as  we  have  stated 
before,  we  place  in  round  numbers  at  five  billions 
of  dollars,  which  is  a  per  capita  of  about  eighty 
dollars. 

How  to  keep  the  per  capita  of  eighty  dollars 
as  intact  as  possible  is  the  problem  of  good 
legislation.  To  reduce  it  causes  a  proportionate 
increase  of  suffering. 

If  the  French  can  talk  an  American  out  of  a 
half-million  dollars  for  a  painting,  it  is  a  good 
thing  for  France,  but  a  loss  to  this  country.  It 
practically  means  that  one  of  the  custodians  of 
our  wealth  is  giving  up  half  a  million  of  dollars 
of  the  products  of  our  farms  for  the  privilege  of 
hanging  up  in  a  10x12  room  a  few  strokes  of  a 
Frenchman's  brush  ;  and  that  so  long  as  the 


painting  is  hanging  up  in  our  country  it  repre- 
sents an  actual  loss  to  us  of  a  half  million  of 
dollars.  On  the  other  hand,  if  the  same  amount 
is  paid  to  an  American  artist  for  an  American 
painting,  the  half  million  of  dollars  only  changes 
ownership — and  being  still  here  does  not  repre- 
sent the  loss  of  a  single  dollar.  The  painting  can 
be  destroyed  by  fire  or  otherwise,  and  the  tax- 
payers at  large  will  not  be  out  anything.  But  the 
French  painting  destroyed  while  owned  in  this 
country  represents  a  positive  loss  of  the  pur- 
chase price,  and  reduces  our  per  capita  accord- 
ingly. 

The  same  can  be  said  about  silks  and  other 
luxuries ;  every  dollar  we  pay  out  for  such  arti- 
cles represents  a  total  loss  ;  the  article  when  here 
may  change  hands  many  times  at  a  considerable 
advance  on  the  first  cost  of  the  goods,  until  it  is 


worn  out  or  destroyed  ;  but  the  price  originally 
paid  for  the  goods  to  the  French  is  lost. 

The  case  is  the  same,  whatever  the  nation, 
consequently,  to  equalize  matters,  we  must  see 
that  the  balance  of  trade  is  in  our  favor — not 
measured  by  luxuries  for  necessaries,  but  neces- 
saries for  necessaries,  luxuries  for  luxuries. 
Therefore — and  this  is  the  particular  point  we 
wish  to  call  to  the  attention  of  financiers — what 
difference  can  it  possibly  make  as  to  the  medium 
of  exchange,  whether  it  be  based  on  a  gold, 
silver  or  paper  basis,  so  long  as  it  represents  the 
value  of  our  perishable  product,  which  we  have 
already  proven  by  statistics  to  be  a  per  capita  of 
eighty  dollars.  If  we  use  a  medium  that  does 
not  represent  the  value  of  our  perishable  products, 
we  are  playing  directly  into  the  hands  of  men 
who  have  ' '  bulled  ' '  the  commodity  known  as 


the  precious  metal,  and  "  beared''  the  products 
known  as  the  necessities,  thereby  causing  the 
producing  circles,  and,  consequently,  their  co- 
laborers,  who  together  constitute  the  real  tax- 
payers, to  suffer  in  proportion ;  and  that  the 
value  of  our  perishable  products,  created  by  the 
laws  of  supply  and  demand,  and  bearing  on  the 
surface  an  eighty  dollar  per  capita  valuation,  is 
dishonestly  represented  as  at  present  by  only 
twenty  dollars  per  capita. 


IIII 

Politicians  should  endeavor  to  be  honest  with 
their  following,  and,  in  as  plain  a  manner  as 
possible,  waiving  everything  that  has  the  appear- 
ance of  vagueness,  present  their  proposition  be- 
fore the  jury.  The  radical  difference  in  the 
policies  of  the  two  great  parties  on  the  question 


-of  tariff  is  such  a  wide  one  that  reason  should 
interfere  between  the  belligerents.  For  example, 
an  item  of  vast  importance  to  the  Western  States 
is  the  question  as  to  whether  the  present  tax  on 
Lead  should  or  should  not  be  repealed  ? 

We  unhesitatingly  answer,  it  should  not,  and 
endeavor  to  maintain  our  position  by  the  follow- 
ing reasons  :  First — If  with  a  tariff  an  army  of 
Americans  can  obtain  employment,  and  without 
such  restriction,  they  would  be  unemployed, 
we  certainly  could  not  hesitate  from  a  patriotic 
standpoint?  Second — If  Mexico  receives  four 
million  dollars  per  annum  from  the  United 
States  for  the  item  of  Lead,  is  not  the  entire 
amount  lost  to  us?  Third — Does  it  not  also 
compel  the  army  employed  in  the  production  of 
Lead  to  compete  in  other  fields,  say  tilling  ? 
Does  not  their  competition  lessen  the  value  of 


farm  products  ?  Fourth — What  benefit  is  derived 
by  the  farmer  ?  Why,  it  is  said,  he  gets  his  Lead 
cheaper.  True  ;  directly  he  does  ;  but  indirectly 
he  does  not,  for  the  entire  valuation  of  the  Lead 
leaves  the  farmer's  jurisdiction  not  a  vestige  of 
the  four  millions  remaining  ;  whereas,  if  he  paid, 
say,  five  millions  for  the  same  quantity  to  his  co- 
laborers,  the  difference  of  a  million  dollars  in  the 
price  would  practically  be  a  subsidy  to  his  own 
people  to  refrain  from  engaging  in  competition 
with  himself,  and  the  entire  five  millions  would 
remain  in  the  country  and  assist,  which  is  the 
object  of  co-labor,  in  developing  and  there- 
by civilizing  the  country,  bringing  the  farmer 
the  result  of  such  civilization  equally  with  his 
co-worker. 

We  have  to  decide  as  to  whether  the  difference 
between  the  Mexican  and  American  price  jus- 


tifies  the  compulsion  of  Americans  to  compete 
with  their  co-laborers  in  other  fields,  and  take  the 
chance  that  the  gross  amount  we  pay  the  Mex- 
icans will  be  returned  to  us  for  exchange  luxuries 
(the  item  of  buying  provisions  from  us  does  not 
count  as  any  purchase  of  provisions  implies  a 
necessity  independent  of  reciprocity)  for  if  they 
do  not  return  to  us  the  entire  amount  for 
exchange  luxuries,  we  are  certainly  out  by  the 
transaction.  We  must  always  bear  in  mind  that 
our  population  of  sixty-two  odd  millions  is  still 
intact,  and  that  any  portion  of  our  five  biliions  of 
dollars  that  is  lost  lessens  the  per  capita,  which 
must  be  borne  proportionately  by  all  the  tax- 
payers. Is  such  a  result  desirable  or  expedient  ? 
Ask  the  American  army  of  Lead-workers  and  the 
accompanying  army  of  other  co-laborers,  created 
by  and  dependent  upon  the  continued  employ- 


ment  of  the  Lead- working  army,  which,  other- 
wise, would  be  thrown  back  upon  our  hands. 


V 

By  our  faulty  legislation  the  products  of  each 
of  the  States  practically  now  go  to  the  metropolis 
of  the  United  States,  or  to  the  gay  European  capi- 
tals, for  the  reason  that  adverse  legislation  in  the 
way  of  preventing  nionied  people  from  enjoy- 
ing their  wealth  compels  them  to  seek  more 
agreeable  climes— places  that  know  the  value  of 
wealth,  and  cater  to  it.  The  outcome  of  this 
adverse  legislation  is  that  those  who  have  made 
their  money  in  the  Middle  and  Western  States, 
and  whose  property  is  still  here,  have  the  income 
forwarded  to  them  from  those  States,  and  enjoy  the 
same  either  in  our  metropolis  or  the  European 


capitals,  where  unwise,  restrictive,  or  misguided 
legislation  does  not  hamper  them. 

Some  States  enact  prohibitory  laws.  The 
result  is  that  these  States  are  drained  of  their 
wealth,  and  the  same  is  spent  royally  elsewhere 
in  anti-prohibitory  amusements.  L,et  us  for  a 
change  cater  to  the  different  elements  that  con- 
stitute human  nature,  and  simply,  though  we 
may  be  cranky  on  some  subjects,  let  us  not  for 
that  reason  compel  others  who  are  more  rational 
or  more  liberal  to  think  and  act  according  to  our 
notions.  I^et  us  make  each  of  our  States  as  great 
and  as  good  a  pleasure  resort  as  is  possible.  As 
to  those  who  are  fond  of  squandering  their 
money  by  practically  throwing  it  away,  let  them 
do  so  ;  they  think  they  are  having  a  good  time, 
and  they  are  certainly  paying  for  it  in  many 
ways.  As  regards  those  who  enjoy  horse  racing, 


let  them  indulge  in  it  to  their  heart's  content. 
It  makes  a  material  difference  in  the  value  of 
Kentucky  blue-grass  whether  a  Haggin  or  a 
Stanford  is  in  existence  or  not ;  that  these  men 
have  been  willing  to  spend  millions  of  dollars  to 
possess  the  fastest  animal  has  made  many  a 
Kentucky  family  happier,  and  the  result  is 
to-day  that  a  Kentuckian  who  can  raise  a  single 
speedy  animal  is  a  wealthy  man,  occasioned  by 
no  other  reason  than  the  desire  of  a  fun-loving 
man  of  the  Haggin  or  Stanford  stripe  to  gratify 
his  whim.  Blue-grass,  which  was  practically 
valuless  before,  is  now  a  boon  to  its  possessor — 
made  so,  not  because  of  its  agricultural  value, 
but  entirely  upon  the  grounds  of  its  adaptability 
to  serve  the  whims  of  the  fun-loving. 

The  fact  of  a  second  or  two  makes  very  little 
difference  to  the  ordinary  being,  but  that  it  causes 


a  harmless  rivalry  between  the  wealthy,  secures 
an  army  of  people  agreeable  employment,  and 
raises  the  value  of  every  farm  in  the  country. 

The  States  that  will  cater  to  the  fun-loving 
community  are  the  ones  that  will  be  successful  in 
every  sense  of  the  word.  While  most  of  us,  for 
affecting  reasons,  might  frown  down  the  prospect 
of  a  bull-fight  in  our  community,  the  real  feeling 
would  be  one  of  enthusiasm.  In  fact,  we  believe 
that  if  nine-tenths  of  our  population  should  be 
suddenly  transferred  to  Madrid,  nearly  all  could 
be  found  at  the  first  advertised  bull-fight,  enjoy- 
ing it  fully  as  much  as  the  natives  themselves. 

As  accumulation  is  a  natural  result  of  a  barter 
system,  and  cannot  be  prevented,  so,  too,  is  the 
fun-loving  element  in  our  nature  going  to  crop 
out  on  every  opportunity  whenever  our  purses 
will  permit.  It  is  a  result  of  being  mortal.  Man 


is  "built  that  way."  You  will  find  that  there  is 
very  little  difference  in  the  composition  of  a 
healthy  boy  and  a  healthy  colt.  A  boy  cannot 
be  serious,  let  him  try  never  so  hard ;  not  even 
just  before  or  after  Sunday-school.  You  may 
threaten  him  with  the  orthodox  hell,  but  you  will 
•find  that  he  is  not  phased  by  the  "bluff,"  or 
"false  alarm/'  and  that  in  the  midst  of  the 
sermon  his  thoughts  tend  more  towards  "rais- 
ing ' '  hell  than  going  there.  Man  is  much  like  a 
volcano ;  it  is  useless  to  tamper  with  the  crater. 
Put  whatever  restrictions  you  will  upon  him,  he 
is  bound  to  effervesce  every  so  often ;  in  fact, 
when  he  does  not,  it  is  a  sure  sign  he  is  out  of 
sorts  and  will  bear  watching. 

If  the  community  will  only  remove  a  little  of 
the  moss  that  has  accumulated  over  it,  and  legis- 
late, not  to  prevent  amusements,  but  to  cater  to 


enjoyment  in  every  possible  way,  they  wil 
remove  a  gigantic  barrier  between  the  bugaboos 
of  the  cranks  and  those  who  favor  the  happiness, 
of  man  as  he  is  made. 


VI 

Is  it  any  wonder  that  one  hundred  millions  of 
dollars  crosses  the  Atlantic  yearly,  taken  by  our 
spendthrifts  to  avoid  the  obnoxious  laws  passed 
by  our  pumpkin  legislators  ?  They  remain  here 
just  long  enough  to  draw  the  profits  from  our 
energy  and  soil,  and  then  go  to  such  places  as  a 
Paris,  a  Vienna,  or  a  London,  where  the  people 
wouldjrise  in  their  might  at  even  the  suggestion 
of  a  law  to  prevent  people  from  spending  their 
own  money.  So  the  result  of  our  humbug  pro- 
hibitory laws,  conceived  and  passed  by  a  lot  of 
cranks  and  fanatics,  is,  that  the  greatest  portion 


of  our  surplus  must  go  over  to  gay  foreign 
capitals  whose  people  cater  to  its  demands, 
because  they  have  sense  enough  to  know  that 
the  greatest  boon  and  blessing  rich  people 
can  bestow  is  simply  to  spend  theiir  money. 

Therefore,  the  danger  to  our  country  is  not 
from  the  spendthrifts,  but  from  the  cranks,  no 
matter  under  what  colors  they  may  sail,  — 
whether  they  are  known  as  the  dress-reform 
crank,  the  prohibitory  crank,  or  the  religious 
crank. 

Let  us,  for  a  change,  throw  the  throttle  wide 
open  and  make  this  uncertain  life — short  at 
best, — a  life  more  of  pleasure  than  of  pain  ;  let 
us  be  gay  rather  than  grave.  Let  us  Seek  sun- 
shine rather  than  shadow.  And  let  us  go  to 
the  mysterious  future  with  the  feeling  that,  if 
left  to  the  choice  of  man  whether  he  would 


prefer  a  golden  harp  and  an  everlasting  future  or 
another  short  sentence  on  Earth,  he  would  prob- 
ably, before  settling  down  with  the  harp,  be  just 
foolish  enough  to  ask  for  another  short  bout  with 
planet  Earth. 


CALIFORNIA 


I 

Poor,  helpless  California ;  richer  in  varied 
resources  than  any  other  State  in  the  Union,  and 
in  consequence  better  able  to  withstand  the  waves 
of  adversity  ;  climate  almost  perfection  ;  people 
of,  at  least,  average  intelligence  ;  naturally  inde- 
pendent by  its  physical  location,  which  permits 
of  ingress  and  egress  through  its  magnificent 
harbor ;  cereals,  fruits,  garden  products,  precious 
metals,  timber,  all  in  superabundance ;  nature 
more  kind  to  it  than  any  other  State.  But 
withal,  how  helpless,  how  enslaved!  The  State 
encircled  by  an  octopus  which  controls  its 
politics  ;  its  commerce  ;  its  wealth.  Not  a  blade 
of  grass  grows  that  does  not  contribute  to  its 
rapacity  ;  not  a  golden  fruit,  ripening  under  the 
careful  nursing  of  nature's  sun,  that  does  not  fall 
into  its  lap  of  desire. 


II 

The  management  of  this  octopus  rules  Call- 
fornia  as  does  the  Czar  rule  Russia.  Everything 
and  everybody  must  bend  to  it.  Like  their 
Russian  prototypes,  the  people  make  futile 
attempts  to  overthrow  its  gigantic  power ;  they 
use  the  same  secret  methods,  only  differing 
in  their  systems  by  the  absence  of  explosives  j 
they  resort  to  the  clandestine  means  of  anonymous 
subscriptions,  and  like  stealthy  methods,  to 
induce  other  companies  to  enter  the  confines  of 
the  State,  only  to  find  that  each  time  are  they 
outwitted  by  a  coup  d'etat,  or,  as  more  properly 
designated,  a  sudsidization,  which  being  greater 
than  the  merchants'  subscription,  is  more  accept- 
able to  the  "threatened  competition."  This 
incipient  rebellion  is  soon  regretted  by  its  pro- 
moters, for  the  octopus  retaliates  in  a  worse  than 


Siberian  manner,  by  compelling  the  people  to  pay 
the  subsidization  by  increased  charges. 


Ill 

To  such  an  extent  has  its  power  grown  that  it 
not  only  almost  controls  the  State's  politics,  and 
its  products,  but  also  dictates  who  shall  and  wha 
shall  not  do  business  within  its  domains.  A 
stranger,  no  matter  how  enamored  he  might  be  of 
its  climate,  is  practically  prohibited  from  doing- 
business  in  the  State.  He  might  command  the 
best  of  credit  from  the  business  circles  in  which 
he  is  known,  by  his  reputation  of  unfailing 
shrewdness  and  carefulness  in  his  dealings,  but 
he  is  restrained  from  doing  business  on  a  basis 
similar  to  what  would  be  granted  in  some  of  the 
other  States,  viz.,  judging  his  ability  to  do- 
business  by  the  resources  and  physical  condition 


of  his  location.  The  result  of  a  very  careful 
examination  is  that  he  cannot  engage  in  business 
without  the  consent  of  the  octopus  ;  he  finds 
that  this  octopus  names  those  that  may  do  the 
heavy  business  of  the  State  ;  that  the  rebate  sys- 
tem is  the  means  or  instrument  employed  by  it  to 
bar  out  competition  ;  that  unless  he  can  obtain  a 
permit  or  a  certificate  from  the  octopus  to  engage 
in  business,  it  is  useless  for  him  to  try.  On  the 
surface  of  matters  he  could  get  the  same  rates  as 
others,  but  in  reality  is  that  the  case  ?  Ask  some 
of  the  merchants  of  San  Francisco. 


IIII 

You  may  say  that  an  Inter-State  Commerce 
Commission  exists  to  prevent  such  a  state  of 
affairs — and  to  decide  all  questions  of  discrimin- 
ation— with  power  to  punish  transgressors.  How 


can  you  prove  the  existence  of  rebates?  A  re  not 
the  beneficiaries  the  relatives  and  friends  of  the 
octopus  ?  Do  they  not  receive  in  return  for  their 
loyalty,  certificates,  or  feudal  commissions,  to  do 
business,  which  enables  them  to  obtain  wealth, 
position,  power?  Why  don't  the  injured  appeal 
to  the  courts  ?  Ahem!  That's  good.  We  almost 
forgot  that  a  remedy  was  so  near  at  hand.  Of 
course,  we  would  not  dare  to  imply  that  the 
courts  are  not  in  the  hands  of  the  people.  But 
still,  courts  are  composed  of  lawyers,  and  lawyers j 
after  all,  are  only  mortal ,  and,  unfortunately  for  our 
institutions,  subject  to  the  same  prevailing  weak- 
nesses that  afflict  members  of  other  trades  and 
professions,  to- wit,  the  fear  of  power  and  the  love 
of  plenty. 


V 

It  is  no  secret  with  the  struggling  attorney 
that  his  day  dream  is  that  the  next  knock  on 
his  office  door  might  prove  to  be  from  the  agent 
of  the  octopus.  Well  he  might  tremble,  and  his 
pulse  beat  violently,  from  even  the  mere  thought 
of  such  a  possibility,  for  he  knows  full  well  the 
value  of  such  a  knock.  He  knows  that  it  is  as 
effective  in  its  transformation  from  poverty  to 
power  and  plenty  as  was  Aladin's  lamp  magical 
in  its  fictional  result.  Can  the  struggling 
attorney  vacillate  long  in  choosing  between  the 
people  and  the  octopus,  when  before  him  stands 
the  agent  of  the  latter  tendering  him  a  gown  of 
a  Justice  ?  His  family  and  himself  are  only 
mortal.  He  swallows,  as  best  he  can,  his  man- 
hood and  nobility,  and  lays  great  stress  on  the 
chance  that  the  public  will  never  know  the  terms 


of  his  capitulation.  L,et  a  lawyer  show  signs  of 
•a  little  more  than  ordinary  ability,  and  he  need 
not  remain  long  on  the  " outside."  Corpora- 
tions are  paying  a  premium  for  talent  and 
ability,  and  all  they  ask  in  return  for  position 
and  gold  is  an  alliance  that  really  means  a  for- 
feiture of  heart  and  conscience,  and  an  abject 
surrender  of  all  sympathy  with  the  people  when- 
ever a  conflict  between  the  two  factions  arises. 


VI 

And  of  such  material  are  courts  liable  to  be 
constituted.  Gold  would  permeate  their  every 
fibre,  and,  knowing  its  power  as  they  recognize  it 
made  them,  they  would  make  their  obeisance  to 
it  alone  or  to  its  possessor  ;  and  the  anomaly 
would  be  presented  of  a  people  seeking  justice 
or  damages  from  corporations  by  trying  their 


cases  before  the  corporations'  own  attorneys  or 
agents  sitting  as  judges,  and  placed  there  for  no 
other  purpose  than  to  protect  the  corporations' 
interests.  A  decision  which  could  be  read  upside 
down  or  crosswise  would  give  the  case  to  the 
defendant,  the  costs  to  the  plaintiff. 


VII 

It  is  the  octopus  whom  we  must  seek  for 
position  and  power.  How  nicely  has  it  taken 
these  prerogatives  from  the  hands  of  the  people  ; 
and,  withal,  how  insolent  is  it  in  its  demands! 
If  you  cross  it  in  any  way,  might  it  not,  like  the 
Czar,  issue  a  ukase,  which  would  practically  dis- 
solve the  court,  and  compel  the  people,  by  proper 
manipulation  of  both  political  conventions,  to 
elect  its  attorneys  for  justices  ?  If,  having  sup- 
posed itself  too  strongly  entrenched  to  fear 


opposition,  and  having  temporarily  neglected  to 
attend  to  the  minor  details  of  court  and  political 
matters,  should  awake  to  find  that  a  court  has 
passed  upon  the  validity  of  a  contract  (whether  a 
marriage  one  or  not  is  unnecessary  to  state)  by 
which  a  plebeian  is  given  an  equity  decision,  when 
it  discovers  this  concession  to  the  people,  would 
it  quietly  acquiesce?  Oh,  no;  it  would  simply 
issue  an  order  demanding  the  peremptory  disso- 
lution of  the  court,  and  the  election  of  another 
that  would  respect  the  rights  of  corporations  over 
the  people.  The  former  decision  would  be 
reversed,  and  the  current  of  j  udicial  events  would 
again  flow  on  smoothly  in  its  direction. 


A  WESTERN  PRAYER 


As  Lincoln  immortalized  himself  by  con- 
ferring freedom  upon  a  suffering  branch  of  our 
human  race,  let  Congress  follow  his  patriotic 
example,  and  liberate  our  mighty  West  from  its 
bondage  of  inactivity  ;  let  the  fetters  of  unjust 
legislation  that  have  held  our  farmers  and  miners 
for  nearly  a  score  of  years,  be  broken,  and  let  us 
be  a  living  witness  of  the  unusual  spectacle  of 
some  modern  Patrick  Henry  arising  in  his  con- 
gressional seat  and  pleading  for  once — THE 

PEOPLES'  CAUSE. 


